Also joining TVM, on a two-year contract, is Dutch rider LOUIS DE KONING. De Koning was a pro for six years in the Panasonic and WordPerfect teams but had no pro contract last year.
French rider FREDERIC PONTIER, currently on the strength of Aubervillier 93-Peugeot, has signed a one-year contract with Casino for 1997.
Belgian rider NICO MATTAN is to leave Lotto, having been signed by Mapei-GB for 1997.
Motorola rider and son of famous Belgian baron AXEL MERCKX is to ride for Team Polti in 1997.
One hardly knows what distinction L'Equipe makes here, but it says world road champion ABRAHAM OLANO's signing of a two-year contract with Banesto has been "confirmed" if not "officialised". Other Mapei-GB riders to be signed by Banesto include JAVIER MAULEON, MIGUEL-ANGEL PENA and Spanish national champion MANUEL FERNANDEZ-GINES. L'Equipe notes that significantly Banesto has not yet re-signed PRUDENCIO INDURAIN, MARINO ALONSO nor yet Prudencio's big brother MIGUEL...
[the following is culled without permission from Cycling Weekly]
"Following GAN's acquisition of Australians Henk Vogels and Scott Sunderland from Rabobank and Lotto respectively, the next English-speaking addition to Boardman's team is Italian Eros Poli, Mario Cipollini's main workhorse. Poli, currently riding for Saeco, has an Australian wife, so will be able to converse with his new team leader.
" 'I was quite surprised,' commented Boardman. 'I heard from [GAN deputy directeur sportif] Michel Laurent at the weekend. I had my first experience of him in the autobus in the Tour -- he's a nice bloke, has lots of experience and is a good driver.**** He's also very honourable. One day on the Tour he attacked without knowing that all of Telekom were having a natural break. The attacks went on for an hour and a half, but he was distraught when he realised that he had set up the Telekom guys and actually went and drove at the front with them to get the break back.'
" 'It should be more fun with more English speakers in the team. They're all hard workers as well. It will be a different team next year -- we've also signed Cyril Bos, the pursuiter, and Sebastian Hinault, who is fed up with being asked if he is any relation...' "
****These are of course metaphors -- the autobus is the group of non-climbers and riders suffering a "jour sans" formed to get in inside the time limit in the mountain stages of the Tour (the grupetto does the same thing in the Giro). The "driver" of the autobus organises its speed in the most energy-efficient fashion and throws off unwanted, opportunistic passengers.